Derby Comedy Festival has finally begun!

Fri 5 May 2017

Derby Comedy Festival has finally begun! We've been waiting for weeks, and now we're ready for 9 days of laughs from all of our favourite comedians. Here’s a full low-down of who’s who at this year’s Derby Comedy Festival…

Lee’s style of comedy is funny stories, quality gags and side-splitting observations. There are no gimmicks. There is no over-arching narrative, journey or message. This is one man, a mic and his mind.

Fresh from selling out at Nottingham and the Leicester Comedy Festival, this surreal, fast-paced collection of hilarious comic vignettes and stories is sure to be quite unlike anything you've seen before…

Brand new stand up show from international multi-award winning Irish Iranian comedian Patrick Monahan, talking about life growing up in the UK as a teenager, with Irish Iranian parents and the world before social media.

Come with Jack – a young man with severe autism – and his brother, Lewis as they fight inner demons, famous cartoon characters and a whole heap of baddies to stop ‘Mayor Sharp’ from taking over Cartoonopolis.

Thu 11 May, 7.30pm – Have a laugh and learn more about autism with Lewis Bray’s one man show, tickets available here.

Rachel Parris has been asked to give a speech at her old school. Through "endearingly frank and funny" stand-up, song and sketch, she'll examine what kind of messed up message she can possibly offer to impressionable young minds.

Cheekykita's dream... where anything can happen. A surreal, absurd place that's a little bit upside down. One of the strangest acts you're ever likely to see, this one woman character comedian has drawn similarities to The Mighty Boosh and Spike Milligan.

Comedy isn’t just for adults! Cracking entertainment for everyone over six years old and under 400 years old (no vampires). We have the best comedians from the UK and world circuit doing what they do best… but without the rude bits!

In a world mired in issues. On a globe drowning in strife. In this time at this place when everything is going pretty bad to be honest, no joke, it's not nice. Who will help us? Where do we place our hope? Who will guide us to the light of a non religion affiliated salvation? Will Duggan.

From the guys that brought you the sell-out A Christmas Carol, The Lost Boys return to the Old Bell with their exploration of how Hollywood as treated historical fact and how that has affected the layman’s understanding of history.

Anglichanka (Englishwoman in Russian) is an exhilarating new comedy show about living in the former Soviet Union in the 90s and returning after 18 years as the first UK comic to perform comedy in English and Russian.

Work in progress show from the former star-with-a-guitar of The Noise Next Door and Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year finalist. Expect rebellion, charm and outrage with occasional musical brilliance.